How to Use Shareasale Affiliate Network to Earn Passive Income

If you’re looking to monetize your blog or website, learning how to use Shareasale, one of the most popular affiliate marketing networks, is going to be a game changer as you’re building your income streams online. Shareasale is especially easy to use for new bloggers and content creators, too. With thousands of merchants to choose from, Shareasale allows you to promote products that align with your niche and earn a commission on any sales that are made through your unique affiliate links. However, getting started with Shareasale can be overwhelming if you’re new to affiliate marketing. In this post, we’ll walk you through the process of using Shareasale, from signing up for an account to promoting products on your website. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced affiliate marketer, this guide will help you make the most of Shareasale and earn a sustainable income from your blog.

How to Use Shareasale Affiliate Program

Sign up for a Shareasale account:

The first step is to sign up for a free account on the Shareasale website. This will allow you to browse the available Shareasale merchants and start applying to their affiliate programs. When you sign up for your account, you’ll include contact information about yourself including your primary website. Filling out your profile with as much detail as possible will help you during the approval process. The sign-up process is very straightforward and shouldn’t take you long at all.

Search for merchants

Once you have created an account, you can browse through the merchant list from the Shareasale dashboard to find products and companies that align with your niche and audience. You can also search for specific keywords to find relevant merchants. It’s important to find the right products and programs to promote. It can be enticing to promote what looks like the most profitable programs, but you’ll want to stay within your niche to make the most impact.

Apply to merchant programs

After finding a merchant that you would like to promote, you can apply to their affiliate program. Some merchants may require you to have a certain level of traffic or engagement on your blog before approving your application. When you find a merchant that you’d like to promote, just simply click on “join program” and fill out any additional information that is requested for a speedy approval process.

Get affiliate links

Once you have been approved for a merchant program, you will receive access to affiliate links that you can use on your blog. These links track any clicks and purchases made by your readers and allow you to earn a commission on any sales.

Promote merchant products

After receiving your affiliate links, you can start promoting the merchant’s products on your blog. This can be done through product reviews, banner ads, or other types of content.

Monitor performance

Shareasale provides detailed reporting on clicks, impressions, and commissions earned. You can use this information to optimize your promotions and improve your earnings.

Getting Approved by Shareasale Partners

Getting approved by partners on Shareasale can be a bit challenging, but here are some tips that may help:

1. 1. Have a professional website: Most partners on Shareasale will look at your website before approving your application. Make sure your website looks professional and has high-quality content. Your website should be easy to navigate and have a clear focus on your niche.

1. 1. Be transparent about your promotion methods: In your application, be clear about how you plan to promote the partner’s products. This could be through product reviews, banner ads, social media posts, or other methods. Be honest and transparent about how you plan to promote the products.

1. 1. Show your engagement: Shareasale partners want to work with bloggers who have an engaged audience. Be sure to highlight your traffic, social media following, and engagement rates in your application. You could also include testimonials from readers or previous partners.

1. 1. Apply for relevant programs: Make sure you are applying for programs that are relevant to your niche and audience. Partners are more likely to approve applications from bloggers who have a focus on their niche.

1. 1. Follow the partner’s guidelines: Some partners may have specific guidelines for their affiliate program. Make sure to read and follow these guidelines in your application and when promoting their products.

1. 1. Reach out to the partner: If you have been rejected by a partner, try reaching out to them to ask for feedback or tips on how to improve your application. Sometimes partners are willing to give feedback and may even reconsider your application if you make improvements.

Creating Affiliate Links

Affiliate links are unique URLs that contain a tracking code that identifies you as the affiliate marketer. When someone clicks on your affiliate link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission on the sale. One of the most important things to understand about affiliate links is that they must be disclosed to your readers. This can be done through a disclaimer on your website or in the content where you include the unique affiliate link. One popular way of displaying affiliate links on your website is by using banners in your posts or on your sidebar. To do this, you’ll want to use banner links inside the Shareasale dashboard. You’ll simply copy & paste the HTML links from Shareasale into your sidebar. Once you hit save, the display ad will show on your site.

Using Text Links for Affiliate Marketing

Using text links for affiliate programs is important for several reasons:

1. 1. Text links are more natural: Text links are a more natural way to incorporate affiliate links into your content. They blend in with your text and don’t stand out as obvious advertisements. This makes it more likely that your audience will click on the link and potentially make a purchase.

1. 1. Better user experience: Text links provide a better user experience for your audience. They can easily click on the link without being interrupted by pop-ups or banner ads.

1. 1. Improves SEO: Using text links can improve your search engine optimization (SEO). Search engines like Google prefer natural-looking links, and text links are a more organic way to link to external websites.

1. 1. Increases trust: Text links can increase trust between you and your audience. By providing valuable content and linking to relevant products or services, your audience will see that you are recommending products that you believe in and trust.

Overall, using text links for affiliate programs is a subtle yet effective way to promote products and services to your audience. By using text links in a natural and relevant way, you can increase the likelihood of clicks and potentially earn commissions on sales made through your affiliate links.

Understanding Deep Linking

Another thing to keep in mind is that you can use deep links to promote specific products or pages within a merchant’s website. Deep links are affiliate links that take your readers directly to a specific product or page within a merchant’s website, rather than the homepage. Deep links can be more effective than regular affiliate links because they take your readers directly to the product you’re promoting, rather than making them search for it themselves. To create deep links in Shareasale, you can use the “Create a custom link” tool. This tool allows you to create a custom affiliate link that takes your readers directly to a specific page or product on a merchant’s website. Simply enter the URL of the page or product you want to promote and Shareasale will generate a custom affiliate link for you. Using deep links can help increase your conversion rates and earn you more commissions. However, it’s important to use deep links responsibly and only promote products that are relevant to your niche and audience. By understanding affiliate links and using deep links effectively, you can maximize your earnings as an affiliate marketer and build a successful affiliate marketing business.

Creating a Product Showcase in Shareasale

Creating a product showcase in Shareasale is a straightforward process. Here are the steps to follow:

1. 1. Log in to your Shareasale account and click on “Links” in the top menu bar.

1. 1. Select “Product Showcase” from the drop-down menu.

1. 1. Click on “Create a New Showcase” button.

1. 1. Select the merchant from your network of merchants whose products you want to include in your showcase. Many merchants offer a variety of products in their feed allowing you to create pages and widgets for displaying products in your sidebar or within the content of your blog posts.

1. 1. Choose a theme for your showcase. Shareasale offers a variety of themes to choose from, such as “Best Sellers,” “New Arrivals,” and “Featured Products.” Select a theme that aligns with your audience and niche.

1. 1. Select the products you want to include in your showcase. You can search for products by keyword, category, or merchant.

1. 1. Customize your showcase by selecting the layout, colors, and font that you prefer. You can also add your own logo or header image.

1. 1. Generate the code for your showcase by clicking on the “Generate Code” button. Shareasale will provide you with a code snippet that you can copy and paste into your website or blog.

1. 1. Add your showcase to your website or blog by inserting the code into the HTML of your website. You can place your showcase on any page of your website, such as your homepage, product reviews, or resource page.

Tips for Promoting Affiliate Links

Promoting affiliate links can be tricky because you want to earn commissions without coming across as spammy. Here are some smart ways to promote affiliate links without being spammy:

1. 1. Focus on creating high-quality content: Your primary focus should be creating high-quality content that provides value to your readers. If your content is valuable and engaging, your readers are more likely to click on your affiliate links and make a purchase.

1. 1. Be transparent: Be transparent about the fact that you are using affiliate links and earning a commission. You could mention this in a disclaimer on your website or in the content where you include the affiliate link.

1. 1. Promote products that align with your niche: Only promote products that are relevant to your niche and audience. This ensures that your promotions feel natural and authentic, and your readers will be more likely to trust your recommendations. Be sure to check back in with your Shareasale merchants, because they will often change out their coupon codes for your readers.

1. 1. Use visual content: Visual content like images and videos can be a great way to promote products without being too pushy. You could create product reviews or tutorials using images and videos, and include affiliate links in the description.

1. 1. Provide a personal touch: Share your personal experience with the product and how it has helped you. This makes your promotion feel more authentic and personal.

1. 1. Avoid over-promoting: Don’t over-promote products or bombard your readers with affiliate links. Instead, include them naturally in your content where they add value.

1. 1. Be patient: It takes time to build trust and a loyal readership. Be patient and focus on building long-term relationships with your readers.

Creating a Passive Income with Shareasale

Yes, it is possible to create passive affiliate income with affiliate links. Passive income refers to income that you earn without actively working for it on a regular basis. With affiliate marketing, you can earn passive income by promoting products and services through your website or blog. Once you have created high-quality content and included affiliate links, you can continue to earn commissions on any sales made through those links even if you are not actively promoting the products. As long as your content remains relevant and continues to drive traffic to your website, you can earn passive income through affiliate marketing. However, it’s important to note that building a successful affiliate marketing business takes time and effort. You will need to create high-quality content, build a loyal readership, and continuously promote relevant products and services. You may also need to continually update your content to ensure that it remains relevant and useful to your readers. To maximize your passive income potential with affiliate marketing, it’s important to focus on building a sustainable business. This means promoting products and services that align with your niche and audience, creating high-quality content that provides value to your readers, and building long-term relationships with your audience. Overall, while affiliate marketing can provide opportunities for passive income, it requires ongoing effort and dedication to build a successful business that generates consistent revenue. If you’re a new blogger, you have the opportunity to build it RIGHT from the start.

The Best Affiliate Programs

Shareasale offers a wide range of affiliate programs, making it easy for bloggers to find programs that align with their niche and audience. Here are some of the best affiliate programs for new bloggers on Shareasale:

1. 1. Ultimate Bundles: Ultimate Bundles offers a variety of digital products, such as eBooks, courses, and printables, on a range of topics. They offer a 40% commission on all sales, making it a great option for new bloggers.

1. 1. WP Engine: WP Engine offers managed WordPress hosting services for businesses and bloggers. They offer a $200 commission for each referral that signs up for their service.

1. 1. Blurb: Blurb offers self-publishing services for authors and bloggers. They offer a 15% commission on sales made through their affiliate program.

1. 1. CreativeLive: CreativeLive offers online courses in photography, design, business, and more. They offer a 20% commission on all sales made through their affiliate program.

1. 1. Grammarly: Grammarly is a popular writing tool that helps writers check their grammar and spelling. They offer a $20 commission for each referral that signs up for their premium service.

1. 1. Tailwind: Tailwind is a scheduling and analytics tool for Pinterest and Instagram. They offer a 15% commission on all sales made through their affiliate program.

1. 1. Wayfair: Wayfair offers furniture, decor, and home goods for every style and budget. They offer a 5% commission on all sales made through their affiliate program.

These are just a few examples of the best affiliate programs for new bloggers on Shareasale. It’s important to research and select programs that align with your niche and audience, and to promote products that you genuinely believe in and trust.

Getting Paid from Shareasale

Shareasale pays affiliates on a monthly basis through direct deposit or check. Here’s how to set up your payment method in Shareasale:

1. 1. Log in to your Shareasale account and click on the “Account” tab in the top navigation menu.

1. 1. Click on the “Edit Settings” button next to the “Payment Information” section.

1. 1. Choose your payment method (either direct deposit or check).

1. 1. Enter your payment details, such as your bank account information or mailing address.

1. 1. Click on the “Save” button to save your payment information.

Once you’ve set up your payment method, you will receive your earnings at the end of each month. Shareasale has a minimum payment threshold of $50 for direct deposit and $100 for check payments. If you have earned less than the minimum payment threshold, your earnings will roll over to the next month until you reach the minimum threshold. It’s important to note that Shareasale has a holding period of 20 days after the end of the month before payments are made. This holding period allows for any product returns or refunds to be processed before payments are made to affiliates. In conclusion, affiliate sales can be a lucrative way to earn passive income by promoting products and services through your website or blog. The Shareasale network provides a user-friendly platform for affiliate marketers to connect with merchants and promote products to their audience. By understanding the basics of affiliate marketing and using the tools and resources provided by Shareasale, you can build a successful affiliate marketing business and generate commissions on sales made through your affiliate links. With dedication and hard work, affiliate marketing can become a valuable source of income for bloggers and website owners alike. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]